PESHAWAR: National Party president and former chief minister of Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has no powers to bring any change for welfare of the people in the country.

Speaking at Meet the Press Programme in Peshawar Press Club, he said that rulers failed to materialise the promises they made with the people. He said during its first year, the government did nothing for welfare of people but focused only on targeting its political opponents and sending them behind bars in the name of accountability.

The NP chief asked the government to produce the missing persons before the court so that they could face trials.

He also expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s role in executing of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. He alleged that Balochistan was totally ignored in the multi-billion dollar project and entire resources were shifted to Punjab.

NP chief asks govt to produce missing persons in courts

He called for making collective efforts to strengthen the weak segments of the society. He said that government should fulfil its tall claims and provide due share to Balochistan in the national resources to remove the sense of deprivation among the people.

“We need to remove hatred by ending deprivations instead of creating hatred on the basis of language,” said Dr Malik. He added that Balochistan government should be given the right to use the resources of Gwadar to overcome poverty.

Flanked by Senator Mohammad Tahir Bizenjo, Mukhtiar Bacha and others, he expressed serious concerns over violence in India-held Kashmir and urged the international community to intervene and resolve the dispute through dialogue.

He said that the Kashmir issue created uncertainty as both Pakistan and India were nuclear powers. He said that negligence by any side would lead to massive destruction.

Dr Malik said that the state terrorism by India against the innocent Kashmiri people had crossed all limits. “We are against war and always suggest seeking peaceful solution to such issues,” he added.

He said that peaceful and developed Afghanistan was in the interest of Pakistan. He called upon both the countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, to remove the trust deficit and work jointly for bringing lasting peace and stability to the region.

The NP chief said that war between Iran and Saudi Arabia would have serious negative impacts on Pakistan. He urged Pakistan to play effective role as mediator for peace between the two the countries.

Speaking on the occasion, Senator Tahir Bizenjo said that government had done nothing so far to mitigate sufferings of poor.

He said that political victimisation was carried out in the name of accountability in the country.

He said that arrests of people without proper evidence should be stopped and the process of accountability should be across the board.

He said that the opposition lawmakers would continue to raise voice against any misdeed of the government.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2019